The present invention relates to the field of scuba diving. More particularly, the present invention relates to a scuba diving fin that improves the performance and comfort over known fins and permits the wearer to safely walk and climb steps while wearing fins.
Known scuba diving fins are generally constructed as a one-piece polymer molding. These fins are configured to include a shoe section at one end where the diver places his foot. Attachment of the fin to the foot is either via a heel cup forming part of the shoe section or a strap attachment. From the toe-end of the shoe section extends the xe2x80x9cfin.xe2x80x9d This configuration is undesirable for a number of reasons: 1) Due to the nature of attachment of the fin to the diver""s foot and the method by which the fin is operated, there are significant forces applied to the diver""s foot and ankle which result in diver discomfort and fatigue; 2) because the fin extends along the same plane as the diver""s foot, the angle of the fin is not the angle best suited to optimal fin performance during use; and 3) due to the nature of construction of the fin, it is difficult and dangerous to walk and/or climb steps while wearing the fin (i.e., upon entry to or exit from the water). Currently, divers compensate for this third undesirable condition by either walking/climbing backwards into the water or attaching the fins after entry to the water. Both of these methods create their own dangers and challenges to the diver and are less than optimal.
Pivotable fins in various formats are known. These designs invariably seek to reduce the dangers attendant to walking while wearing traditional fixed fins. U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,601 to Aucoin, additionally provides for the fin section to be fixed behind the diver""s calf, to reduce wind resistance while jumping into the water from helicopters, parachutes, and the like. However, known pivotable fins do not overcome or compensate for the traditional problems of diver fatigue or capitalize on the related performance benefits and a need has been identified for a diving fin that can be adjusted to fix the fin in the same plane as the diver""s leg combined with a rigid ankle/lower calf assembly to strengthen the connection between the fin and the diver""s leg, resulting in improved diving performance and reduced diver fatigue.
The object of the present invention is to provide a diving fin that eliminates the problems associated with fatigue to the foot/ankle area during use and walking/climbing into or out from the water, and to improve fin performance.
The present invention provides for attachment of the fin to the diver""s foot via a boot-type design, as opposed to the shoe-type design used presently. A boot allows the fin assembly to be attached to the diver""s lower calf, ankle and foot. This boot can be fabricated using an inner boot section (similar to neoprene bootees already in use by divers), an inner liner made of high density foam (similar to liners commonly used in ski boots and/or in-line roller skates), combined with the ankle and calf sections of a boot shell to provide the necessary rigidity (similar to a modified in-line roller skate boot or ski boot type), and collectively referred to herein as the boot assembly. Such a boot assembly will effectively direct the forces encountered during operation of the fin to the leg instead of the foot/ankle. This improvement results in greater comfort and reduced fatigue to the diver, and also provides improved fin performance due to the more powerful xe2x80x9ckickxe2x80x9d made possible by attaching the fin to the diver""s leg. The present invention further provides for an adjustable fin assembly comprising a fin blade and two fin arms. The fin arms connect to each side of the boot assembly at approximately the ankle axis via a mechanism that allows the fin arms to pivot about the ankle axis and to be locked in place at various positions therein (hereinafter, xe2x80x9cfin adjustment mechanismxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cadjustment mechanismxe2x80x9d). This adjustment mechanism allows the diver to lock the fin assembly in, among other positions, the dive position (i.e., where the fin is positioned in approximately the same plane as the diver""s leg). This adjustment feature additionally allows the diver to unlock the fin from the dive position and to lock it in the walk position (i.e., where the fin section is rotated about the ankle axis to a position where it does not impede the diver from walking). The fin blade can also be removed from the fin arms for purposes of easier storage and interchanging fin styles, sizes, shape, colors, etc., depending upon the type of dive, conditions, preference of diver, style considerations, etc. The fin blade may also incorporate a carry handle. The present invention may be further understood by consideration of the following drawings and associated description.